‘Family day.’
Date: Saturday 9 November 2013

Known as ‘family day’, the Melbourne Cup Carnival concludes its festivities with the fourth day, Emirates Stakes Day. The Emirates Stakes is the last Group 1 race in Melbourne for the spring season.

History

First run as the Cantala Stakes in 1919, the Emirates Stakes is the premier 'mile' or 1600m race in Victoria. Some famous names have won the race, particularly since 1960 when Aquanita scored the first of his successive victories. Vain, Gunsynd, Taj Rossi, Maybe Mahal, Family of Man, Testa Rossa, Better Loosen Up and Shaftesbury Avenue are some of the outstanding winners.

Outstanding horses to have won the race in its recent history are Vain (1969), Taj Rossi (1973), Maybe Mahal (1976), Family of Man (1978), Better Loosen Up (1989), Shaftesbury Avenue (1990) and Testa Rossa (2000). An interesting fact about this race is that the Hayes family from Lindsay Park Stud trained five winners in succession between 1992-96.

The 2005 Emirates Stakes was substantially upgraded in prize money, which was increased by 50 per cent to $AUD750,000 and the weight conditions were amended to that of a Quality Handicap. As such, no horse can be asked to carry more than 60kg in the race, making the Emirates Stakes an attractive proposition for connections of genuine WFA horses. In 2007, prize money for the Emirates Stakes was again raised, to $AUD1,000,000, where it has remained.

The VRC expects that overseas trained horses will be seen in the Emirates Stakes sooner rather than later, as the event is now ideal for those overseas trainers with Emirates Melbourne Cup horses who also have a top class 'miler' in their stables.

The high prize money, weight conditions and the cost efficiencies associated with bringing two horses to Melbourne, instead of only one, all combine to make the Emirates Stakes a race with great international potential.

Past winners of the Emirates Stakes